Why We Love This Japanese Cake Recipe
Asian-inspired desserts are really popular right now in the United States. And it’s not hard to see why! Often these treats use interesting ingredients that are transformed with key cooking methods. So you get to experiment with fun flavors and techniques. Truly an adventurous home cook’s dream! However, some recipes can be a bit tricky to make and even harder to find the ingredients. Japanese Castella Cake – or Wagashi Sponge Cake – is an exception… It’s a simple dessert that is popular in Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China, and I am sure it will be a much-requested recipe in your home as well! If you don’t know how to make easy castella cake, just follow my simple instructions and you will be an expert in no time!
Traditional Wagashi Sponge Cake (Yakimono)
In Japanese, Wagashi is the general term for sweets and Yakimono refers specifically to a baked good. This yakimono wagashi is a delicate and tasty sponge cake that is made with just a handful of ingredients. Yet the texture of castella cake is what makes it truly unique. Imagine if sandwich bread and meringue had a baby… It’s soft, tender, a bit squishy, with a lovely light honey-vanilla flavor. This jiggly sponge cake is similar to pound cake, yet with a lighter bouncy texture. It is perfect to serve with hot tea or coffee, or to use as the base of a cake, ice cream, and fruit stack.
Ingredients You Need
Eggs – room temperature Granulated sugar – for a perfectly sweet treat Honey – really rounds out the sweetness of the cake Warm water – not hot, or the cake won’t rise properly Vanilla extract – to give the Japanese sponge cake its signature light flavor Salt – just a pinch Cake flour – essential for the best jiggly cake texture
How to Make Castella Cake
Set out an electric stand mixer with a whip attachment. Add the room temperature eggs and sugar to the mixing bowl. Whisk on high for 6-8 minutes until the egg mixture is very light in color and extremely frothy. The egg mixture should expand to look like custard. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 315°F. Set out an 8 x 8-inch metal cake pan. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment comes up above the rim of the pan by at least 1 inch. Set out a small bowl. Mix the honey, warm water, vanilla extract, and salt. Scrape the mixing bowl with the eggs and turn the mixer on low. Beat in the honey mixture and then slowly add in the flour. Once all the flour is incorporated, turn off the mixer, so you don’t overbeat the cake batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the cake on the counter once or twice to bring the biggest bubbles to the surface. But don’t tap it so much that you deflate the batter. Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 45 minutes, until the top is dark and puffy. Carefully lift the cake out of the pan by the edges of the parchment paper. Peel off the parchment paper and immediately wrap it in plastic wrap, while it is still warm. This allows all the moisture to be preserved and gives the cake a moist, even texture. Cool to room temperature before unwrapping. However, the longer it stays wrapped the better the texture will be.
Suggestions for How to Slice and Serve Wagashi
When you’re ready to serve, use a serrated knife to cut all the brown edges off of the sides. Cut the remaining square down the middle into two even loaves. Then slice each loaf into ½ – 1-inch pieces. Serve with tea or coffee for a snack or light dessert. Castella cake is also a wonderfully simple cake to serve at holiday events with chocolate, caramel, or berry sauces. Make Japanese Strawberry Shortcake by serving the cake with fresh strawberry slices and whipped cream!
Tips & Tricks
It is essential to whip up the eggs with an electric mixer or stand mixer with the whip attachment to create plentiful air bubbles! This is the only way the cake will rise since there are no chemical leveners like baking soda or powder here. Once you add the flour to the mix, do not over-mix the batter! This will result in a tough cake that might fall flat instead of a fluffy, jiggly Japanese sponge cake! Don’t skip the resting period in the plastic wrap! I recommend letting the cakes sit in the fridge overnight wrapped in plastic, then take them out the next day and let them come back to room temperature. Then they will have the best texture possible!
Looking for More Delicious Dessert Recipes?
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Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, cook time, total time, and nutrition information. Make sure to share this recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! Share This Recipe With Friends!
